Introduction
Message Delivered to Grade 8 Students – Gaire Village, Central Province, Papua New Guinea.
Students, parents, and church family, today’s message is not simply to prepare Grade 8 students for their examinations. This is a message for life — a message about wisdom, discernment, identity, and the God who formed you with purpose. My heart is to help you understand the importance of Wisdom and Knowledge, both spiritual and secular, and how these two are strengthened through a real relationship with Elohim.
Discernment in an Age of Misinformation
We live in a generation flooded with information — but not all information is true. Online, there is misinformation, confusion, and opinions presented as fact. This is why the spirit of discernment is vital.
The Word instructs us clearly:
1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”
Young people, you and I are blessed to have access to the Word of God because the Torah — the very oracles of YHVH — were entrusted to and preserved by the Jewish people for thousands of years.
Paul reminds us:
Romans 3:1–2 – “To them were committed the oracles of God.”
Even when you look at world conflicts today, such as the Israel–Palestine conflict, you will find layers of misinformation. This is why discernment is not just spiritual — it is practical. Today, your understanding must be wider than just what you hear from people. Scientific, historical, and archaeological evidence all confirm the truth found in Scripture.
But here is the key: Gain knowledge with discernment.
Read widely. Question information. Search for truth.
Proverbs 18:13 warns:
“He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.”
Do not take things at face value — build a habit of digging deeper, because God wants you to be wise, informed, and grounded.
Your Identity in God: YADA
All of you, young as you are, have a bright future ahead. Even if you’ve made mistakes, even if you’ve been influenced by peers, even if your parents may worry — God’s calling on your life has not changed.
Listen to what God told Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart.”
The English word “knew” is not enough. In Hebrew, God said: “Before I formed you, I YADA you.”
YADA does not mean God had information about you.
It does not mean He predicted you.
YADA means:
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To know intimately
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To have a relationship with
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To acknowledge
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To choose
That means every Grade 8 student here existed in the heart of YHVH even before your parents knew you would be born.
You are not an accident. You were not born by luck. You were already known by Elohim.
In the very beginning — Bereshit — before creation, before the universe, everything was dark and formless:
Genesis 1:2 – “Darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.”
Out of that chaos, God formed creation. He organized the universe. He shaped order out of confusion and emptiness.
If He can do that with creation, what is your life?
God specializes in building greatness out of chaos. He can take your failures, your challenges, your mistakes — and turn them into purpose.
The Example of King Solomon and the Power of Chokmah
To understand Wisdom, we look at the life of King Solomon.
Thousands of years before modern nations existed — before America, before Papua New Guinea’s independence, before the UN — the children of Israel were already in the land God promised them
(Genesis 15:18–21; Joshua 21:43–45).
After Saul and David, Solomon became king. Early in his reign, God asked him:
“What shall I give you?”
(1 Kings 3:5–12)
Solomon could have asked for:
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Wealth
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Power
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Success
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Victory
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Long life
But he asked for Wisdom and Understanding to lead God’s people.
This pleased God. Because Solomon asked for wisdom instead of riches, God gave him both — Chokmah (God-given wisdom), and also the wealth, influence, and honor he did not request
(1 Kings 3:13; 2 Chronicles 1:11–12).
To truly understand Solomon’s request, you must see it through Hebrew eyes.
Solomon asked for Lev Shomea — “a Listening Heart.”
(1 Kings 3:9)
Not just human wisdom, but divine intelligence that comes from relationship with Elohim.
God granted him Chokmah (חָכְמָה) — wisdom that comes only through intimacy with God.
Proverbs 2:6 – “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
With this wisdom, Solomon became the most influential king of his time.
Kings, leaders, and scholars travelled from afar — even Queen Sheba from Ethiopia — just to witness the wisdom of Solomon
(1 Kings 4:34; 1 Kings 10:1–9).
Solomon did not receive this because he was special — he received it because he had a relationship with Elohim.
This Message Is Not About Exams
Students, raise your hands if you’re sitting your exam on Monday.
This message is not to help you simply pass an exam.
This is God preparing you for life.
If you pursue a relationship with God, He will give you:
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Chokmah (Wisdom)
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Knowledge
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Understanding
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Discernment
Your background does not limit God. He can take someone from chaos and raise them to purpose. He did it in creation, and He will do it in you.
Your life does not end at Grade 8, Grade 10, or Grade 12. This is only the beginning.
As long as you walk with Elohim, He will shape you into what He designed you to be.
Proverbs 3:5–6 teaches:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart… He shall direct your paths.”
My Testimony: God’s Process, Not Punishment
I started school well, achieved high grades, and worked hard. This brought me to university, where I graduated with distinction. I received awards. I received a medal.
But after graduation, I made one mistake:
I thought success was guaranteed.
I believed companies would rush to hire me.
But life went in the opposite direction.
For nearly five years, I could not find a job.
People who struggled in school already had work.
I questioned myself. I questioned God.
Slowly, the pride connected to that medal disappeared. I lost hope. I even considered going back to the village.
Then, after years of silence, God opened a door — a job I did not apply for. They called me. Interviewed me for five minutes. Told me to start on Monday.
Matthew 6:33 came alive:
“Seek first the Kingdom of God… and all these things shall be added to you.”
Ten years after graduation, during quiet time, Elohim reminded me:
“Those five years were not punishment. They were process.”
God was dealing with my pride.
Teaching me humility.
Realigning my heart.
Today, that medal is no longer a symbol of achievement — it is a reminder that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble
(James 4:6).
And now I know:
As long as you have a relationship with Elohim — whether in school, work, fishing, carpentry — He will always guide your path.
Solomon received Chokmah because he sought relationship, not rewards.
YHVH already YADA you — He already knew you.
But now, you must learn to know Him.
Conclusion
Students, parents, and church family — this word is God’s call to you. Seek Him. Know Him. Desire wisdom. Walk in discernment. And let Elohim transform your chaos into purpose.
Your life is not an accident.
Your journey is not random.
Your future is not unknown.
YHVH Elohim has already written your days.
Now it is your turn to walk with Him.
Reset your mind — and let Ruach dance on your chaos.